The 2024 Six Nations gets underway this weekend and Wales will begin their campaign against Scotland on Saturday without the experience of George North, who misses out with a shoulder injury.
The winger is the most capped member in Wales’ 34-man squad and the game against Scotland would have marked his 50th appearance in the Six Nations. Wales will have a hint of inexperience, though, with Warren Gatland opting to hand uncapped Cameron Winnett his international debut.
Meanwhile, holders Ireland will have a new look at fly-half with Jack Crowley named at No. 10 to fill the void left by Johnny Sexton, who retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
England coach Steve Borthwick has named uncapped Fraser Dingwall and Ethan Roots in his starting lineup for Saturday’s clash with Italy, while uncapped trio Chandler Cunningham-South, Fin Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso make the bench.
Here’s all the team news and everything you need to know heading into the weekend.
France vs. Ireland, Friday 8pm GMT, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Antoine Dupont will be missing at scrum-half as he skips this year’s tournament to prepare for the Paris Olympics with the country’s sevens side, forcing head coach Fabien Galthie to name Maxime Lucu in his place for the much-anticipated opener.
Les Bleus and Ireland will play in Marseille on Friday for their first Test since both were knocked out by South Africa and New Zealand respectively in the World Cup quarterfinals last year.
Lucu deputised for Dupont at the World Cup when the captain missed time after sustaining a fractured cheekbone. He will pair up with Matthieu Jalibert as fly-half Romain Ntamack is still recovering from a serious knee injury he suffered before the World Cup.
“It’s good for Antoine that he gets out of the frame a little bit. It gives other players some opportunities. Maxime Lucu has always been good, even very good. Now it’s up to him to take up the responsibilities,” head coach Fabien Galthie told a news conference.
He added: “Even without [retired] Johnny Sexton, we’re not worried about their [Ireland’s] capacity to perform. We also want to pay tribute to the fantastic player he was.
Sexton retired with a 119 caps after Ireland’s heartbreaking semifinal defeat to New Zealand, and Crowley will be thrown in at the deep end with Ireland scheduled to open the tournament against France on Friday night.
Crowley will start at fly-half for an Ireland side that will be captained by Peter O’Mahony. Centre Garry Ringrose has been ruled out of the tournament opener with a shoulder injury. Ireland hope Ringrose will be available for their second game against Italy on Feb. 11. His absence means Robbie Henshaw will partner Bundee Aki in the midfield.
France: Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Yoram Moefana, Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu, Gregory Alldritt (captain), Charles Ollivon, Francois Cros, Paul Willemse, Paul Gabrillagues, Uini Atonio, Peato Mauvaka, Cyril Baille.
Replacements: Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifenua, Cameron Woki, Paul Boudehent, Nolann Le Garrec, Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony, Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter.
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ciaran Frawley.
Italy vs. England, Saturday 2.15pm GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Northampton’s Dingwall will start at inside centre for England in Rome while Exeter’s Roots is at blindside.
Following Marcus Smith’s calf injury that ruled him out of the opening game of the tournament, George Ford will start at fly-half while Alex Mitchell has been passed fit to start at scrum-half.
In the pack, Jamie George skippers the side in a front-row with Joe Marler and Will Stuart while Ollie Chessum and Maro Itoje are the locks. Roots is joined in the back-row with Sam Underhill and Ben Earl.
For Italy, Alessandro Garbisi takes over at scrum-half and Tommaso Allan gets the nod at fullback.
Garbisi is included ahead of Stephen Varney who started three of Italy’s four games at last year’s World Cup, as new head coach Gonzalo Quesada named his first team since taking over from Kieran Crowley.
Quesada named Allan at fullback, making his 80th appearance for Italy, with the other Garbisi brother, Paolo, chosen at fly-half.
Tommaso Menoncello makes a welcome return at centre, having missed the World Cup through injury and lock Federico Ruzza will earn his 50th cap.
Italy: Tommaso Allan, Ange Capuozzo, Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Garbisi, Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro, Sebastian Negri, Federico Ruzza, Niccolo Cannone, Pietro Ceccarelli, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Danilo Fischetti.
Replacements: Giacomo Nicotera, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Andrea Zambonin, Edoardo Iachizzi, Manuel Zuliani, Stephen Varney, Lorenzo Pani.
England: Freddie Steward, Tommy Freeman, Henry Slade, Fraser Dingwall, Elliot Daly, George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Joe Marler, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Ethan Roots, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Theo Dan, Ellis Genge, Dan Cole, Alex Coles, Chandler Cunningham-Smith, Danny Care, Fin Smith, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Wales vs. Scotland, Saturday 4.45pm GMT, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Cameron Winnett will make his debut at fullback and Sam Costelow has been preferred at fly-half in the Wales side to face Scotland.
Josh Adams and Rio Dyer are on the wings, with Louis Rees-Zammit having left rugby to pursue a career in the NFL, while Nick Tompkins and Owen Watkin the centre pairing. Gareth Davies gets the nod at scrum-half in a lineup that features Wales’ second youngest captain ever, 21-year-old lock Dafydd Jenkins, with only Gareth Edwards ahead of him on the list.
Jenkins is in the second row with Adam Beard, and ahead of them are props Corey Domachowski and Leon Brown, with Ryan Elias at hooker. The back row is made up of No. 8 Aaron Wainwright, and flankers James Botham and Tommy Reffell.
Fly-half Finn Russell will lead Scotland in their Six Nations opener with co-captain Rory Darge missing out through injury, though the back-row forward will return for the visit of France on Feb. 10.
Russell forms a half-back pairing with No. 9 Ben White, while Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones are reunited in the midfield and there is a back three of wings Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Steyn, with Kyle Rowe at fullback.
The front-row of the scrum contains hooker George Turner, with props Pierre Schoeman and Zander Fagerson either side of him.
Wales: Cameron Winnett, Josh Adams, Owen Watkin, Nick Tompkins, Rio Dyer, Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies, Corey Domachowski, Ryan Elias, Leon Brown, Adam Beard, Dafydd Jenkins, James Botham, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Kemsley Mathias, Keiron Assiratti, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Tomos Williams, Ioan Lloyd, Mason Grady.
Scotland: Kyle Rowe, Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White, Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Richie Gray, Scott Cummings, Luke Crosbie, Jamie Ritchie, Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Alec Hepburn, Elliot Millar-Mills, Sam Skinner, Jack Dempsey, George Horne, Ben Healy, Cameron Redpath.
